Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh expects to be called in by the Integrity Commission soon to explain the accusation of ownership of six palatial homes which interim Independent Liberal Party (ILP) political leader Jack Warner insists he acquired. Warner met with officials of the commission last Monday as the probe into his allegations that Ramadharsingh obtained the homes under questionable circumstances got under way. While Ramadharsingh told the T&T Guardian he has not been notified as yet by the commission, he said, “I expect they will call me soon so I can lay my case.” Ramadharsingh said while he served as a senator in 2007 he had no problem declaring his assets to the commission and he said he will co-operate with them fully during the current probe. “When I became an MP in 2010 I had to file,” he added.
He said at that time he had to produce documents to show that he had shut down his veterinary clinic. At that time also, Ramadharsingh said he had five practices and had to prove to the commission that his bank account to the clinic was changed. “So if they have any enquiry, I will respond to it,” he said of the latest probe by the IC. Admitting that he was taken aback by Warner’s statements which were made during the recent campaign for the Chaguanas West by-election, Ramadharsingh denied paying a mortgage for any of the homes he is alleged to have acquired. Ramadharsingh said he owns one property in south and pays a $1.1 million mortgage. “When I came to central I had to rent. I have been renting ever since,” he said. As a Government minister, Ramadharsingh said he pays his rent through a stipend given by the Government. “I wanted to be in Central and could not purchase another property. I wanted to...I really would have preferred to purchase another property, but because of my commitment to my mortgage I was unable to, and so I continued to rent,” he said. Ramadharsingh said he might have taken a second loan to buy a property but the bank blanked him.